This Space For Rent: Murray Begins Wimbledon With Open Spot On Shirt

Murray looking for shirt sponsor that will not make too many demands on appearances

Andy Murray begins Wimbledon “with a vacant space on his shirt available for multi-million pound sponsors,” according to Charles Sale of the London DAILY MAIL. Murray’s sponsorship with Highland Spring expired at the end of last year and his reps at XIX Entertainment “have yet to receive an offer of up to [US$4.85M] a year that would fit into Murray’s worldwide schedule and specific demands.” Murray is “looking for a suitable long-term global sponsor who does not make too many demands on personal appearances away from the court.” It is “understood there are a number of companies prepared to pay the big numbers, led by technology and drink brands.” But the “six-month delay in clinching a deal does mean that, if Murray wins his first Grand Slam at Wimbledon, XIX could add at least a million more to the endorsement fee” (London DAILY MAIL, 6/20). MARKETING magazine’s John Reynolds notes Murray “recently extended his sponsorship package with RBS, whose logo will be displayed on one side” of his shirt. Murray “began his associations with the bank nine years ago” (MARKETINGMAGAZINE.co.uk, 6/20).

CAPITALIZING ON STARDOM: SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL’s Daniel Kaplan cites sources as saying that a “mega-deal ... is coming from a Chinese brand shortly after” Wimbledon for French Open champ Li Na that “will eclipse” the recently signed agreement with Mercedes. Li “will be sporting a new Mercedes-Benz patch on her dress as part of a deal that sources said will cost the German automaker $5.8 million over three years." Max Eisenbud, Li’s agent at IMG, said that he “has received scores of requests for appearances before the U.S. Open in late August.” His inclination “has been to turn them down, but he threw out the figure of $200,000 for a short appearance, and he said he has had takers at that amount” (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 6/20 issue).